The elections are finally over. Now comes the hard part—delivering on all those promises.
The challenges facing the nation are extensive and serious, headlined by a massive increase in crime, significant inflation, failing schools, and a deteriorated national security situation.
There is an upside, however. Those serious dilemmas are the result of bad policy decisions, mostly over the past two years. A great start towards correcting those issues involves reversing past mistakes.
Skyrocketing crime comes from the absurd decision in numerous jurisdictions to eliminate or reduce the use of bail, accompanied by the insanity of not incarcerating recidivists or giving them inadequate sentences. The evidence is clear: when repeat offenders are kept in prison, crime plummets. Sources notes that, depending on the state, recidivist rates are as high as 52%. Keeping repeat offenders in jail sharply reduces the crime rate. A repeat offender caught on a new charge should not receive bail.
To further improve safety, cease the insanity of defunding the police. Noteworthy studies have found that “an increase in police presence … leads to a statistically and economically significant decrease in the level of crime … Most of the decrease in crime comes from decreases in the street crimes”
Inflation can be directly linked to the blockage of major fuel sources, as well as overspending.
Everything that is produced, transported, marketed or used requires energy, including food. Alternative fuels can produce barely 20% of needs. Even that 20% cannot be produced in a cost-effective manner. Restoring American energy independence will slash the inflationary cycle, not just at the gas pump, but in all other activities, as well.
Common sense has a key role to play, as well. Individuals know that they cannot spend more than they make. Governments pretend they can, but they can’t either, without devaluing currency. Politicians fund giveaway programs by overprinting money, and lots of it. That devalues the currency, which is inflationary.
According to a Balance report, The U.S. national debt grew to a record $31.12 trillion in October 2022. “It has grown over time due to recessions, defense spending, and other programs that added to the debt. The U.S. national debt is so high that it’s greater than the annual economic output of the entire country, which is measured as the gross domestic product.”
U.S. students fall behind our international trading partners, despite spending far more. Our students rank 38th out of 71 countries in academic achievement, despite spending much more.
America spends $14,400 per student on elementary and secondary education, which was 34 percent higher than the average of Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development member countries of $10,800 At the postsecondary level, the United States spent $35,100 per student, which was double the average of OECD countries ($17,600). Where does the money go? Not to traditional subjects, but to a host of propaganda-heavy activities. Enlightened by what was discovered during the COVID remote learning, enraged parents are demanding an end to nonsense, such as discussing sexual practices in the classroom. It’s also time groups such as teachers’ unions were reminded that children, not pressure groups, should be the focus of spending.
National Security seems to be a reduced priority over the past two years.
Since the election of 2020, Russia has invaded Ukraine, China has ramped up its threats towards Taiwan, North Korea has resumed its atomic and missile development, and the Taliban now has a vast supply of U.S. weapons. China has the globe’s largest navy, at 355 vessels, compared to its U.S. counterpart’s 296, an enemy advantage that continuously grows due to the underfunding of our maritime service. America does not have the most servicepeople in arms. China has 3,355,000; Russia has 3,014,000; India has 2,610,550; the U.S. comes in fourth at 2,233,050. America is not the world’s pre-eminent nuclear weapons power. That title belongs to Russia, with 6,267 warheads, compared to America’s 5,550, courtesy of a deal made by President Obama. Both China and Russia have an apparent lead in hypersonic weaponry.
All of these issues are resolvable, as long as those elected have the will to actually do so.